Ryan and the Trucks
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: Ryan wants to prove to Daisy and Oliver that not all trucks are troublesome.


On the Harwick Branch Line, Ryan was sitting in the shed that he and Daisy share at Arlesburgh. He was not due for work yet, and cherished every moment of rest he got.

"Oh, how disgraceful! How humiliating!"

Ryan looked forward, immediately raising an eyebrow as Daisy backed into the shed, scowling angrily.

"What's wrong, Daisy?" Ryan asked, "Did you blow a fuse?"

Daisy glared at the purple tank engine, causing him to wince.

"No, I did not, thank you very much!" the diesel rail-car retorted, "The Fat Controller made me pull a goods train to Arlesburgh Harbour along with my passengers! He says it's 'efficient'. I say it's demeaning!"

"How so? I'm a goods engine, and I don't find it demeaning."

"You're new here, Ryan, so I can understand your ignorance, but pulling trucks is a nightmare for me! Not only is it extra weight on my delicate coupling, but they do nothing but ridicule me! They're called Troublesome Trucks for a reason, you know."

"Maybe you should try being friendlier. Perhaps they just want some respect."

Daisy's jaw dropped.

"Respect? For trucks?" she hollered loudly.

"Er... ye-"

"Ryan, I'm sorry to say this... well I'm not but nonetheless, that's the most idiotic thing I've heard all day!"

The diesel blew her horn and oiled down to the station.

"I don't have time for this. My passengers are waiting. If you think your theory holds so much weight, try it out for yourself!" she fumed.

Ryan looked down at his buffers in thought.

"Oh... Huh..."

Ryan frowned for a moment, but smiled as an idea came to him.

"Hmm... That's not a bad idea! Then I can befriend some trucks, and show that not all trucks are troublesome! I'm sure they can use a friend anyhow."

Ryan was still talking when the stationmaster came to see him.

"Hello, Ryan! Er..."

Ryan stopped and chuckled nervously.

"H-Hello, sir..."

The stationmaster cleared his throat.

"Ryan, I need you to collect some trucks from Tidmouth and take them down to the harbour."

Ryan whistled excitedly.

"Yes, sir! You can count on me, sir!"

The stationmaster smiled.

"Good. It's an important shipment to a construction yard on the mainland, so do be careful."

"Oh, I will sir!"

The stationmaster nodded and strolled back towards his station.

Ryan grinned as he puffed away.

"Being a truck's friend, here I come! Huh... That wasn't as dramatic as I thought it would be..."

* * *

Later, at Tidmouth Station, Ryan whistled as he backed down onto his train.

He grinned as he looked back at the trucks, sensing a chance to try out his idea.

"Oh, hello, trucks! How are you doing today?" he asked as innocently as he could.

The front truck rolled his eyes but didn't respond.

One truck coughed, and another sniffed.

Ryan winced, feeling rather rejected.

"Oh... Sorry... Did I come on too strong?"

Oliver puffed into the station with a train of ballast trucks.

"What are you doing, Ryan?" he asked suspiciously.

Ryan chuckled sheepishly as the auto tank engine's eyes turned to slits.

"Well, Oliver, I... just wanted to say hello to the trucks. Create some conversation. That's all," he said nervously.

Oliver gasped.

"What?!"

The purple tank engine raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised that Oliver was so shocked.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked.

"Because trucks are simply a nuisance!" shrilled Oliver, "The main thing they do is cause engines to crash! Dare I say it's the only thing they do..."

"I'm sure not all of them are like that," Ryan retorted. "I mean, some trucks have to be nice, right?"

"They're all in one group, Ryan. They're all Troublesome Trucks," Oliver said darkly, glaring at his trucks.

"Isn't that just a little bit judgmental?"

"Perhaps, but I don't think it's unjustified. Those blasted trucks pushed me into a turntable well once. Since then, I've vowed not to trust any truck except Hector."

Ryan gasped.

"Oh my... That's a terrible story!"

"Indeed it is. I'd advise you to do the same, in all honesty," Oliver continued, "The Fat Controller wouldn't want his goods engine for his new branch line to be out of service, now would he?"

Ryan glanced down at his buffers.

"I suppose not..."

Toad looked back at his engine and frowned.

"I think you're being a little bit unfair, Mr. Oliver. I think Mr. Ryan could perhaps befriend some trucks, and maybe they'll be less troublesome for all of us. That would be useful."

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"I never said he couldn't, Toad. Just that he shouldn't."

Oliver looked over at Ryan and sighed.

"If you do try to do it, Ryan, just be careful. You never know with trucks... They can easily betray you, and make you crash when you least expect it."

Ryan gulped.

The Great Western engine whistled and puffed out of the station.

Toad grinned at Ryan as he passed him.

"Good luck, Mr. Ryan!" the brakevan said quickly.

Ryan smiled weakly.

"Thanks, Toad! I hope I can do it..."

"I'm sure you can," Toad called as Oliver puffed around a bend.

Ryan hoped he could, but after Oliver's words, he did feel rather nervous.

The guard blew his whistle and Ryan had to puff out of the station.

Soon, Ryan was on the Little Western, making his way back to his own branch line.

The GNR Class N2 looked back and noticed the grumpy expressions on the trucks' faces.

They all glared at whatever their eyes could point to.

"Oh dear... They don't look very happy, do they? I wonder why..."

Ryan cleared his throat and tried his introduction again.

"Uh... hello trucks. My name is Ryan."

The front truck rolled his eyes.

"...hello."

Ryan grinned to himself; he finally got some kind of response from one of the trucks.

"Why are you so grumpy?" he asked quickly.

The front truck seethed angrily.

"Why should you care?"

"Because... I care about your well-being. That's all."

The second truck rose an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? Are you sure you weren't told to do so by someone? Some bigger force?"

"...what?"

"What? Are you questioning the logistics of my life?"

"Huh?"

"Sorry about him," the front truck grunted, "He always likes conspiracies. He believes the moon landing was fake too."

"Wait, it was?!"

"Of course. That's what the government wants you to think."

"Erm... you didn't really answer my question," Ryan stuttered.

The front truck rolled his eyes.

"Well, Tyson-"

"It's Ryan."

"I don't care. We trucks are always grumpy because we're nothing but rolling stock. All some trucks do is cause a bad image for the rest of us. We're not all clones, Brian-"

"It's Ryan..."

"Please shut up. My explanation is more important than whatever your name is. The point is, not all trucks are troublesome."

"Did the government pay you to say that?"

"...I really despise you."

Ryan gasped.

"So I was right! You trucks aren't all troublesome! Heh, wait until the others hear about this!"

"Is the only reason you're asking your questions is because you want to prove something? Typical of you engines. All you do is flaunt about how you can move and we can't. How lovely."

Ryan winced.

"Oh dear... I'm sorry."

The front truck rolled his eyes.

"Whatever..."

"Has an engine ever been kind to you before?" Ryan asked.

"Not really. You're the first engine to even talk to us, being perfectly honest."

"Oh. That's upsetting. How come nobody wants to talk to you?"

"We're trucks, dummy," the third truck spoke up, "Nobody likes trucks... Heck, sometimes I don't even like trucks... A lot of them are immature fools..."

Ryan gasped.

"Oh my..."

"Right, such a terrible thing," the front truck huffed, "Please, proceed to cry all the misery out of you."

"You know, I think I need to give you names," continued Ryan, "It's getting rather confusing who is who."

The trucks looked to each other.

"Nobody's ever named a typical truck before," the fourth truck said excitedly.

"Well, I'm naming you now," Ryan grinned, "Go on. Tell me what you like."

"Oh, I wonder what my name will be! Angus?"

"That's not a bad name! What would the rest of you like?"

"I like the name Hugh," the third truck said, "No reason, really. I just like it. I mean hate it."

Ryan rose an eyebrow.

"My name shall be Rupert," the first truck suggested, "Because I have no other name for my pessimistic nature that will ruin everything you desire."

"Uh... okay...?"

"I'd like to be Apollo," the second truck said, "Because it's a consistent reminder that the moon landing is just a scheme to get everyone to buy into the fact aliens don't exist."

"I... I'm Irving I guess. I, uh... I don't want to be here, I just want to be on a siding all alone," the fifth truck cried, "Please, take me back to the yard right now."

"And I want to crash you right now! I need adrenaline! I need to be named Carson!"

"I thought you said not all trucks like crashing," Ryan said nervously.

"We don't," Hugh muttered, "But that idiot does."

"I'm not an idiot! You're an idiot! Ha ha, I want to crash!" Carson panted.

"I just want to be a coach," the sixth truck moaned, "I hate these bricks. Bricks are heavy. Why was I built like this? Why?! From now on, I want you all to call me Loretta! It's my right as a truck!"

"Why do you want to be Loretta?" Ryan asked.

"I want to have passengers. It's every truck's right to have passengers if he wants them."

"But you can't have passengers!"

"Don't you oppress me!"

"I'm not oppressing you! You don't have seats! Where are the passengers going to sit?"

Loretta broke down crying.

"Good job," Irving muttered, "Can I go back to the yard now?"

As the train passed Haultraugh, Duck saw Loretta crying and put on a confused expression.

"What...?"

"Let's not have Loretta's idiocy ruin the fun," Angus said excitedly, "I just like you, Ryan! You actually care about us! I want to be with you all the time! Forever and ever! And ever! All the way into eternity!"

"Uh..."

"I also like you," Apollo said, "Even if the government paid you to do this. At least it's convincing."

Ryan chuckled sheepishly.

"Thanks, Apollo. I like you too. Even if you do shatter my reality every few seconds."

"It's called waking up, pal."

"So... are you my friends?"

"Oh, we are. We are," Angus cried, "At least I am. I definitely am. Can i be your best friend? We can have a permanent coupling between us!"

"Sure, why not," Hugh huffed, "Just don't expect me to talk to you about my inner struggles like Loretta."

"Hey! A truck has a right to be a coach! Someone overhaul me! I need to be reborn! I need to be a coach! Now!"

Ryan sighed and smiled; he had never met such vibrant trucks before. However, he quite liked them, even if they were the oddest trucks he'd ever seen.

At last, Ryan arrived at Arlesburgh Junction.

He squinted and noticed Oliver at the station with some ballast trucks.

The purple tank engine grinned to himself as the trucks continued to talk among themselves.

He was a few minutes ahead of schedule, so he decided to stop for a while.

"Oh, hello Mr. Ryan," Toad said cheerfully as Ryan passed him, "How is your mission going?"

"It is complete, Toad!" Ryan said excitedly, "I got all the trucks to open up!"

Oliver grunted.

"Did you really? So none of them like crashing?"

"Oh, I love crashing! I want to crash right now! I want to destroy! Destruction! I want destruction! Can I destroy you? Right now? Now!" Carson screamed as his eyes twitched.

Toad gulped.

"He's scary, Mr. Oliver."

"Well, there we go, Ryan. At least one loves crashing. See? I told you. Trucks are simply a nuisance. Be careful; that truck may go insane and crash himself."

"Implying he already isn't," Hugh muttered.

Ryan winced, just as Mike puffed up with his full ballast trucks.

He looked down at Oliver and scoffed.

"How judgmental, Oliver! You just don't appreciate how useful trucks can be! Trucks are much easier to pull than passengers!"

"I want passengers," Loretta wailed, "How dare you insult me."

"I love you too!" Angus squealed.

Mike stared at the trucks.

"Ryan, what kind of witchcraft did you use on these trucks? These aren't normal."

"What do you mean I'm not normal?" Loretta asked, starting to cry again.

"I didn't use any," Ryan replied, "I simply got them to open up and reveal their true selves. It's a good thing, in my opinion."

"Just as I said, Mr. Ryan," Toad said, "Just keep the insane one away from me."

"Destruction!" Carson said.

"Are you some kind of illusion?" Apollo asked as he squinted at Oliver, "I can't see any glitches. Are you a robot sent to destroy the world?"

"I wish you didn't," Oliver grumbled as the ballast fell into his trucks.

Ryan was most surprised; he thought that Oliver would be happy for him, or at least be more kind about it.

"Oh..."

"Don't listen to him," Angus replied, "We trucks are simply quite engaging indeed! Just like you! You and your purple paint!"

Ryan was too upset to really listen to Angus' creepiness though.

Toad cast Ryan a sympathetic look as Oliver puffed away.

"I hate that engine so much... He's so obnoxious," Hugh said darkly, "Then again I hate everything."

"Do you hate me too?" Angus whined.

"Yes, including you. I hate you so much. You're an annoying bucket of bolts that has an obsession with everything. I also hate Loretta."

Loretta, who had just stopped crying, began to cry again.

"Good job, idiot," Rupert replied, "Everyone's an idiot. Especially Hugh."

Hugh glared at Rupert.

"Why you little-"

"Can we just shut up and make me go back to the yard now?" Irving asked, "Everyone's so loud."

"Oh yeah," Hugh continued, "I hate you too."

"Thanks..."

"You're welcome."

Ryan sighed as he puffed to the harbour.

Skiff was giving another tour at the harbour as Ryan puffed in.

The railboat grinned and looked up at his friend.

"Oh, hello Ryan! Lovely day, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is," Ryan sighed.

Skiff raised an eyebrow.

"What's the matter? You seem upset."

"Oh, Skiff, today's been a poor day. I tried to prove to Oliver that not all trucks are bad, yet he completely ignored me. What's even the point..."

"See, this is more like it," Rupert said, "Upset about everything. That's the proper approach to life."

Skiff smiled reassuringly.

"Nonsense, Ryan! You did something that I don't think any engine has done before! You tried to talk to the trucks! That kind of optimism is what I like to see!"

"I love this boat. He loves everything, just like I do," Angus grinned.

"Oh, hello there!"

Ryan smiled weakly.

"Thank you Skiff. At least I tried."

"Indeed you did."

"Is a boat on wheels part of the government's New World Order?" Apollo wondered.

"You're the most delusional truck I've ever seen," Rupert grunted.

"You were paid to say that."

Ryan whistled and slowly pulled his train over to a railway crossover.

He sighed as he was uncoupled.

"Maybe I just need to try with different trucks..."

The large tank engine noticed a water tower ahead and realized he felt rather thirsty.

Meanwhile, Oliver was taking his ballast to Arlesburgh Harbour.

He was still thinking about Ryan and his new "friends".

"It's rather silly, to be honest. Why does Ryan want to befriend trucks? It's so silly!"

"I don't quite think so, Mr. Oliver," Toad replied calmly, "But I suppose you have the right to think what you think."

"Thank you, Toad. Honestly, trucks aren't friends. They're enemies."

Toad rolled his eyes.

However, the trucks had heard everything Oliver had said, and were very cross.

"What right does he have to talk about us like that?" a truck fumed.

"Right! Who cares if he pulled our old leader apart!" another truck said sarcastically.

"Will you shut up? I don't care. Consider this our revenge."

"I-I-I don't want to be pulled apart!" a third truck wailed.

"Shut up! On! On! On!"

Oliver raised an eyebrow and looked behind him.

"Toad, deal with those trucks, will you? I don't want trouble."

"Right away, Mr. Oliver," Toad said immediately.

His guard tried to pull the brake lever, but nothing happened.

He stared at the lever as the trucks began to gain traction.

"Well then... Time to panic."

Toad gasped when he heard the guard say this.

"Mr. Oliver, my brakes won't work!"

"What?! Why?!"

"I don't know!"

"Now boys!" the truck laughed, "On! On! On! On!"

"Off! Off! Off! Off!" another truck giggled.

"You don't get it, do you?"

Oliver surged forward, getting more terrified by the second.

"Toad, do something! Please!"

"Okay! Mr. Oliver, it's okay! It'll be okay!"

"That isn't helping me!"

From the harbour, Skiff and Ryan could hear Oliver's pleas for help.

"Oh no! Oliver's a runaway!" Skiff cried, "What are going to do?"

Before Ryan could reply, Daisy scuttled by with her passengers.

She sneered at Ryan.

"How's your 'befriending trucks' thing going, eh?"

Ryan winced.

"Uh..."

"Daisy, watch out!" Skiff cried, "Oliver's a runaway!"

"Wait, what?"

Ryan suddenly realized something.

"Oh no! The trucks are on the tracks! Why did I leave them there?!"

"Because you're stupid," muttered Rupert.

The other trucks looked to each other.

"Time to be heroes, boys," Angus said determinedly, "Let's save our amazing friends."

"Right. Brakes!" Hugh cried.

"Do I have to?" Irving whimpered, "I don't want to get crushed like Carson does..."

"Yes, now shut it."

"Oh... Okay..."

"I'm not going to!" Carson fumed, "I want destruction!"

"Fine, we don't need you anyway," Angus replied stoutly.

"Good. Destruction!"

Rupert's brow lowered as he saw Daisy coming closer and closer.

"Here it comes..." Rupert gulped.

The trucks all shut their eyes tightly, as did Daisy.

"Oh no! Trucks!" she wailed as she rammed into them.

A loud bang was heard across the harbour.

Ryan and Skiff gasped in horror.

Dust flew into Daisy's face as she opened her eyes.

The diesel rail-car coughed and her nose wrinkled.

"Ugh... Dust... I hate dust-"

She suddenly realized that she was no longer in danger.

"Wait, I stopped? I stopped! I'm not damaged! How did that happen?"

"Because of us, you idiot," Rupert grunted.

Daisy scowled as she looked at the trucks in front of her.

"Oh."

"We're not out of the woods yet!" Skiff exclaimed, "Oliver's still coming!"

"We're not in the woods though," Apollo said, "Unless... **The whole world is a forest**!"

"Keep your brakes on, trucks!" Ryan called, "You have one more engine to save!"

"...lovely," grunted Rupert.

Oliver gasped as he saw the trucks were in his way.

He tried one final time to stop, but he realized he was out of sand!

The auto tank engine looked ahead desperately.

"Daisy, move the trucks! Now! I can't stop!"

Daisy looked up.

"What-"

Before Daisy could finish, Oliver bashed into the trucks, jolting Toad, all of the trucks, and Daisy.

"Whoa!"

Oliver's eyes were shut tight, but even without his vision, he noticed that his wheels had stopped moving.

This came as a shock to the Great Western engine.

"Mr. Oliver, we've stopped!" Toad cried with glee, "We've stopped!"

Oliver opened an eye slowly to find that Toad was right.

"Trucks pushed me... and then trucks saved me... I'm confused," Oliver said blankly.

"Aren't you always?"

"...quiet, Toad."

"Traitors!" a truck scowled.

"I want explosions!" groaned Carson, "That was completely underwhelming!"

Silence fell for a second; nobody knew what to say.

Ryan finally broke the silence.

"Hooray for the trucks!" he cried and he blew his whistle.

"Hooray indeed!" Skiff smiled.

Daisy and Oliver looked to each other.

"Should we...?" Daisy asked quietly.

"Well... uh... might as well, I suppose," Oliver muttered.

Soon, Oliver and Daisy were giving their thanks as well.

"Well, this is something. Not on the same level as being a coach though," Loretta muttered.

"I don't hate this attention," Hugh smirked.

"Show-off..." Rupert grunted, "They're only cheering because we didn't do anything. They want us to feel good. They want us to forget our pathetic lives."

"Shut up, Rupert, just enjoy something for once."

"You know that's mentally impossible."

At last, when all the applause was over, Oliver cleared his throat.

"I think I owe you lot an apology," he said to the trucks, "It seems that not all trucks are bad after all."

"Thanks," Irving said, "Can you leave forever now? You're in my personal space."

"...right. I owe you one too, Ryan. I'm sorry I didn't have any confidence in you."

Ryan smiled as Skiff winked at him.

"I love you," Angus said.

"Uh... sure."

"See? If I was a coach I wouldn't have this prejudice," Loretta scoffed, "I need seats. Now."

"I hate both of you. Now shut up," said Hugh.

"I think I do too," Daisy agreed, "And one to you Ryan. I was rather rude about your idea back at Harwick."

"Oh, it's alright, you two," Ryan grinned, "Let's just all agree that these trucks are certainly colorful!"

"But we're only gray. Is that a glitch in the system? Has the simulation stopped working?"

"Shut up, Apollo," Rupert grunted.

"No. The truth must be revealed!"

Everyone laughed... except for Irving, Rupert and Hugh.

"I hate laughter," Hugh muttered.

"You're only laughing at us," Rupert muttered.

"So many engines! I can't take it! I can't take it!" wailed Irving.


End file.
